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Saturday, December 31, 2011

This has been an exceptional year for all of us here at Naughty Girls. I was going to do a recap but that's a little boring so instead, I thought I'd end it with an interview with a new author. Enjoy!

INTERVIEW WITH IAN DALTON: AUTHOR OF THE VICTORIA WILDE SERIES

Naughty Girls - Tell us a little about Ian Dalton.

Ian - I've been writing for about six years and began by writing humorous fiction. I'm married, have a full time job, three kids and a new puppy who's currently driving us all crazy with his teething, rambunctiousness and incessant humping of pretty much anything and anyone. I'd love to write full time, but for now, it's just a hobby.

Ian - Okay, so maybe I'm a little too in touch with my feminine side or maybe I just need some good professional help. At this point I'm not really sure…I can tell you that I have a loyal, but somewhat small group of female fans who really love this series. So I think I have some talent in this genre. All I ask is for readers to download a sample and give me a chance. I believe they'll be pleasantly surprised.

Naughty Girls - In your novels the sex scenes are smoking hot- where do you find the inspiration?

Ian - I enjoy occasional mind-blowing amazing sex with my incredible wife and channel those memories when I'm crafting scenes and then let my imagination take over from there. I say occasional because what guy really thinks he gets it enough… Plus the kids, puppy and just general life stuff can really cut into the amount of romance novel quality type sex a couple can actually have.

Ian - When I wrote my first novel, this comedy about of all things, the subject of male enhancement, I found my sex scenes drifting into the 'a little too much information/erotic/explicit' zone. A friend who read an early draft alerted me to this. So I scaled back those scenes and released it as more of a straight comedy novel. I found that I really enjoyed writing the hot scenes, so I went back and included them in a new version of that story and plan on releasing it under the title ENHANCED very soon. I actually write under two pen names- one for my humorous less explicit work and another for my contemporary erotic romance. I plan to have a version of each book available under each pen name. Well, all except Desperate Thoughts. If I scaled back on the explicitness of that story, it would be just a few pages long…J

Naughty Girls - Where did you get the inspiration for Inappropriate Thoughts?

Ian - Where else…a past relationship. A girl that I won’t mention by name, actually broke my heart in college in pretty much the exact way outlined in the book. She was a ballet dancer and she could really do that thing with her leg (keeping one on the floor while pointing the other straight up to the ceiling) and when I saw her do it at a party, I was hooked. Okay, so I was a shallow pathetic inexperienced eighteen year-old loser… Anyway most of the beginning of the story is based on true events, with the names changed to protect the guilty…I thought my memories from my relationship with 'Miss Flexibility' would make a great start for a novel. From there I set out to write a story to capture the intense desire between a couple who are completely crazy about one another, but are desperately trying to squash those feelings. It's the story of a divorced woman who falls for a younger man who just happens to be the best friend of her son. I wanted to explore all the passionate thoughts floating around in their heads as they pined away, but for obvious reasons are prevented from acting on their desires.

Naughty Girls - So in the story, your romance plays out on a tennis court of all places, what the heck is that about?

Ian - I was looking for a common interest that my characters could share. One that would bring them together in a way that could almost seem sexual without being sexual, you know…In my novel, tennis becomes the sex replacement for this couple as they long for one another. I've always been drawn to tennis. I feel it's the only sport a man and woman can play competitively together and have it be intense and almost sexy. All the grunting and the rhythm that players can get into on the court as they blast the ball back to each other over the net can be incredibly sensual. Not to mention the shorts skirts and all that bending over…Anyway, what was the question again?

Naughty Girls - We love Victoria and are dying to know where you came up with her character?

Ian - She really started as a minor character in the story. I was looking to create a wild and crazy friend to contrast against Jillian Grayson's straight laced, much more proper and shy personality. From there Victoria was born and as I kept writing she became a bigger and bigger part of the story- especially in books two and three.

Naughty Girls - What can you tell us about the series prequel Desperate Thoughts?

Ian - I was so intrigued with the amazing and sexy Victoria, that as I was writing Inappropriate Thoughts, before I even finished the first draft, I decided I needed to write Victoria's back-story. So I put I.T. away for a while and wrote Desperate Thoughts. I was obsessed with figuring out how Victoria developed her mojo, her superfun, wild, strong, sexy personality and I as I crafted it I had a blast. Her story is a little tragic and certainly doesn't have the elements of humor found in the rest of the series, but it's steaming hot if I do say so myself. Let's just say I would love to be Ethan in that story as he got to know Victoria. I recommend that the prequel be read after the other books, but it really can be read at any time within the series.

Naughty Girls - Tell us what's planned for the VICTORIA WILDE series.

Ian - I would…except I don’t want to spoil it. I have an author's note at the end of Revealing Thoughts, which is book three, and there I reveal some things upcoming in book four.

Naughty Girls - So what are you working on now?

Ian - My marriage mainly…I'm taking a little break so my head doesn't explode. I wrote over 250,000 words in this series in 2011 and I need to spend some time with my wife so she doesn't leave me. Victoria has me exhausted, she's been known to do that to a guy…I invite readers to send me an email to help coax me off my ass to finish the fourth book sooner. But for now my brain just hurts and I think I'll have a beer or two and rub my wife's feet occasionally…

Naughty Girls - It seems to be an unusual strategy to offer each of your novels in two forms. Can you tell us more about your plan?

Ian - I'm an unusual guy and I tend to think of my books as something like a copy of a DVD movie that gives you a choice of "rated" and "unrated" versions. I enjoy writing the explicit scenes, but know that not all readers are looking for that much heat. I believe the comedy and characters are strong enough in all the books to let the stories stand on their own without all the explicitness. I wanted to give people a choice. So whether a reader likes their contemporary romance regular or extra spicy, I believe I have something for them. I'm trying to keep the pen names separate for now until I figure all this out. So if someone is interested in the "tamer" versions of my books, they can send me an email for more information.

Naughty Girls - And finally any New Year's resolutions for 2012?

Ian - Definitely floss more, a lot more… Oh, rub my wife's feet at least once a week (Please note this is much less than the twice a day she's looking for…) Figure out what the hell to do with the love triangle that surrounds Victoria in book four of my series and, oh yeah, come clean with my kids that I'm writing erotic contemporary romance novels…on second thought, I think I'll wait until 2014 for that one. That's when they'll finally be heading off to college where it's a lot harder to embarrass them…

~

Ian Dalton has released four books in the Victoria Wilde series, Desperate Thoughts the prequel (An Amazon exclusive) followed by Inappropriate Thoughts, Secret Thoughts and Revealing Thoughts. He plans to release book four, Second Thoughts early in 2012. If you'd like to help get Ian off his butt, want information on his "tamer" series or just want to send him a note, you can reach him at ianwdalton@gmail.com or follow him on twitter @sexywildesays.

Friday, December 16, 2011

Here's a Kindle freebie from author Ian Dalton. Ian will be joining us later this month to talk about the life of the male erotica author. Enjoy!

The prequel to the Victoria Wilde series, Desperate Thoughts is a 40,000 word novella, which reveals the tragic yet steaming hot story of how Victoria got her mojo.

SUMMARY

On his deathbed, Victoria Wilde's husband David leaves her with a gift; a replica of the most intimate part of him and makes her promise to go on with her life and share her most cherished gifts with another. But even after fourteen months the young widow finds herself unable to enjoy his gift or share her own. When Victoria spots a man who could be her late husband's younger twin, she's reminded of a story David shared of him as an insecure college freshman, who was given the gift of self-confidence by a clandestine sexual encounter with a beautiful older woman, and Victoria relives the erotic experience with her Davidesque stranger. Afterward, she's re-awakened sexually and motivated to do the same for other deserving young men in a way that both honors her lost love's memory and satisfies her desperately unfulfilled desires. With each new encounter the risk grows along with the passion until events spiral out of control and she's forced to choose between continuing down a path of self-destruction or finally letting go of the past.

Monday, October 10, 2011

Well the digital world is heating up a bit. Last week DC Comics made an announcement that they would be offering 100 new comics exclusively to the Kindle Fire. Apparently that hit a nerve with the nation's largest bookseller, Barnes & Noble, because they've retaliated by yanking all DC Comics from their brick & mortar locations and now it's on like Donkey Kong!

According to a Barnes & Noble executive, "To sell and promote the physical book in our store showrooms and not have the e-book available for sale would undermine our promise to Barnes & Noble customers to make available any book, anywhere, anytime." Customers won’t even be allowed to special order the comics unless they have them delivered to their own homes.

Ouch!

Honestly, B&N's position sounds reasonable but this still feels like watching a particularly vicious game of dodge ball at recess. Who’ll chicken out first? Who knows but the consumers are the ones inconvenienced in the meantime.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

It's been roughly seven months since I decided to publish a test novella as an indie. Most of what I've learned has been helpful with my traditionally e-published books, as well. Things such as the importance of writing a good blurb, promoting responsibly (no spamming) and being reactive to the market.

It hasn't all been roses though, so I figured I'd share in case anyone else is on the fence.

PROS

In indie publishing, you have a measure of control that is almost addictive. If my sales are lackluster I can change my cover (imagine asking for that at a traditional publisher!), tweak my blurb or even change the title. I recategorized Teasing Trent and it immediately hit some of the sub-category bestseller lists, something none of my other books have ever done. Win!

I've noticed a lot of epubs put their books in one big "Romance" or "Erotica" category which means the book will never trend on a sub-list (such as "Romance - Contemporary" or "Romance - Fantasy/Futuristic"). So, recently I sent emails asking some of my publishers to recategorize the books I have with them.

I was actually told by one that they can't place the book in anything other than a general category (but indie's can put them there? Huh?) and just flat out told by another that they don't want to change it.

o_O

Teasing Trent has been on several sub-lists and it's always an amazing boost for sales. The more lists your book is on, the more people see it = the more people buy it. Why wouldn't you want to take advantage of that? It's the easiest way to get more visibility there is. Just put the books in the right place!

Then there's the stats. The sweetly seductive publisher panel in Kindle's KDP portal and BN's PubIt! Since I'm tracking sales in real time, I immediately know whether my above mentioned changes had an effect. Change the title, score! Upload a new cover, score! Surely you see how this is addictive. There should be medication for this, really.

Speaking of stats, that's the other thing that's interesting. Sales have only gone up (From 53 sales in month one to 313 sales in month six). Now, I'm not setting the world on fire but at my epubs, I got the majority of sales in month one and then very little after that. I have no idea how long it will last but I've already beaten what a longer (higher-priced) story made at a top epub.

I'm good with that.

The biggest PRO of all is that I can put out cool stuff for the fans. Casey's Night In was something I wrote just because so many people wrote me emails about The Mirage Agency series. I wanted to put it on the major platforms so people don't have to hunt for it. BN has already got it for free and hopefully Amazon will price match it soon. I wasn't able to do that with my epubs.

CONS

In the midst of all my glee I sometimes forget to track just how much WORK it all is. Gone are the days when I just write something and turn it over to someone else. Now I have to troll stock art sites for cover photos, find a freelance editor, arrange advertising and most time consuming of all - FORMAT THE THING. Because I am a perfectionist, I actually strip the manuscript down to plain text and then add in the html formatting from there. I actually care if the cover displays nicely next to the book stats on my Kindle when I click on it. I keep seeing books with random pictures or photos that look like candids of the author in place of where the cover should be. Egads!!! Also the book needs a working Table of Contents and proper chapter headings
(otherwise I can't skip ahead and back by chapter on my Kindle).

HTML and CSS are not for the faint of heart.

Also, there's no one to blame if you fail. I can't point to the crappy cover (Um, yeah I chose it) or the blurb that was changed after you turned it in or the title that was your third choice because the one you wanted was taken. There's an expression that I love - "The cavalry isn't coming". It's incredibly pertinent to indie publishing because here, YOU are the cavalry. No one's saving you but yourself.

Which is, frankly, kind of scary.

THE POINT

Based on the above, I feel there are valid reasons to publish both ways. There are going to be times when I just plain don't feel like doing all of the above. It's a heck of a lot of work and it's not 9 to 5 type work, either. It's all-day, all-night, chained-to-your-computer, hubby-is-jealous-of-my-laptop work.

I don't want to discourage anyone because clearly, I ADORE it. I just want people to be aware of what they're in for. It's exhausting but it's also incredibly gratifying and the fact that I keep 70% of the money goes a long way to making up for those long nights.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

As a gift to all the great fans who have supported Beg for It, I decided to put out a short interlude that links Book 1 and Book 2 in the The Mirage Agency series. Unfortunately, most sites don't allow you to put things for free but I'm happy to report that Casey's Night In (prequel to Asking for Andre) is now FREE on B&N!!! Go to the Amazon page and report the lower price and maybe Amazon will make it free too. Yay!!

And here's the link to the Amazon page (http://www.amazon.com/Caseys-Night-Prequel-Asking-ebook/dp/B005JKO2PU) so you can tell them it's free somewhere else (you have to scroll down to Product Details and the link to report a lower price is right below the bestseller's rank)

Thursday, August 18, 2011

My "casting call" for Asking for Andre is up at Writer's Gone Wild. Come drool over the pictures of Andre Lavin (as played by McDreamy Patrick Dempsey) and Milo Hamilton (as played by Italian hottie Raoul Bova). I went ahead and cast all the recurring characters too so if you've read Beg for It, come see if I did the characters justice.

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Two of my friends have new releases out that are super hot. First up is Emily Ryan-Davis' tale of forbidden love set in the midst of a sultry Virginia summer.

Summer in Virginia burns as hot as Mitchell’s desire for sheltered Southern princess Pepper. Between official assignments, Capt. Scott has a private mission—claim the genteel redhead before another man discovers the spicy passion lying dormant beneath Pepper’s skittish exterior.

Trust-fund baby Pepper is surrounded by men—her adoptive father, her stepbrothers, her casual romantic companion. All men who want her to fit the roles they envision.

Only Mitch has ever asked her what she wants. She’s going to tell him…as soon as she can think past the scorching press of his body against hers and the overwhelming compulsion of her hunger for a man society says she shouldn’t crave.

Next up is a scorching tale of the hottest fraternity in existence: The Big V by Lolita Lopez

A night of wild partying with football god Chris at his frat’s Halloween bash sounds like the perfect cure for Ashley’s midterm blues. But her carefree night quickly takes an FML turn. Chris and his hunky frat buddies intend to use her as their virgin sacrifice!

She nearly faints as Chris describes the deliciously dirty ritual orgy they have planned, a ritual centered on giving Ashley multiple orgasms. Sensual massage. Spanking. Twelve sets of big, strong hands on her innocent body. A dozen soft mouths driving her wild. Could there be a more memorable way to lose the Big V than with these sinfully sexy frat boys?

Chris promises Ashley a night she’ll never forget—and she plans to hold him to it.

Friday, August 5, 2011

Most of you know I only do Fangirl Friday posts randomly. But I was re-reading some of the books in my keepers folder on my ereader and I realized a ton of them are by one person.

Lena Matthews

So I wanted to do a fantastic fangirl friday pimptastic move and showcase some of the hottest books I've read by Ms. Matthews

(1) The Gift

Ethan Neilson will do anything for his twin brother. Even father the child Benjamin is unable to with the woman they both love. All their lives, the brothers have shared everything, everything but the woman who matters most.

After several failed attempts to conceive a child, Hannah desperately wants a break. A weekend getaway to celebrate the birthdays of the two men she loves seems like the perfect opportunity to relax and unwind.

Benjamin knows Ethan and Hannah love one another, just as he knows the three of them together forever is the way it always should have been. Now the only thing he has to do is convince his brother and wife. Having a child would be wonderful, but sharing his wife's heart and body with his brother is the gift Benjamin wants most of all.

A Naughty Girls Fave - I have probably read this one ten times because it is so good!

(2) The Joker's Wild Series

(a) Joker's Wild: Call Me

When Kayla Martin tries to revolutionize the sex toy industry she calls on the one person she’s grown to count on more than anyone else, her best friend and downstairs neighbor, Dylan Thompson.

When Kayla approaches him about being a test subject for her newest invention, an anal toy, Dylan is intrigued and aroused. That is until he finds out that The Walnut Wand is an anal toy for men.

Kayla’s sure that a prostate stimulator will be a hit, all she needs is a willing participant. Far from willing, Dylan flat out refuses, but that’s not enough to deter Kayla.

After their monthly poker game, Dylan and Kayla decide to make a risky bet. Kayla wants a test subject and Dylan wants the one thing’s he’s being craving for years. They’ll risk it all on one hand, but anything can happen when jokers are wild.

Warning, this title contains the following: explicit language, use of sexual aids and graphic sex.

(b) Joker's Wild: Three Nights

Working for your dream man is never a good idea, especially when he’s as aloof as Chris Wilson. Eliza’s been dreaming of having her boss in her bed for several months now, and when the opportunity comes up for her to spend some of her off time with him at a poker game, she jumps at the chance. Too bad Chris isn’t as excited to see her, as she is to see him.

Eliza has gotten under Chris’s skin bad. He can’t go a day without thinking of his sexy secretary. Chris is determined to get her in his bed, that is until he finds out she has a daughter. He has a firm never date women with children policy that he isn’t willing to give into for anyone, until Eliza makes him a little wager. If he wins, Chris gets to have her any way he wants her, and if she wins Chris has to fulfill three of her fantasies.

It’s a win-win situation he thinks, but anything can happen when jokers are wild.

This title contains the following, explicit sex and graphic language.

(c) Joker's Wild : Stripped Bare - My favorite of the series!!!

When visiting an adult bookstore for a bachelor party, Professor Brody Kincaid is shocked to see his former student Missy Haddan working at the counter. He’s had his eyes on Missy since she’d been his student several months ago and has been waiting for the perfect time to approach her. Fate has just slipped her into his path. Her warm personality and full-figured beauty holds him captivated, and he is determined to have her no matter what the cost.

Missy sees all kinds at her job, but never expects to see her former professor. She knows he’s out of her league, but when Brody offers to teach her to play poker, Missy can’t resist the temptation to learn, or her desire for him.

Their simple games goes further then even she could have imagined. When the ante is upped and her heart is on the line, Missy is willing to risk it all on a game of chance, but anything could happen when jokers are wild.

Warning, this title contains the following: explicit sex and graphic language.

P.S. Her BDSM-lite books at Ellora's Cave (co-authored with Maggie Casper) are also uber-HAWT (Friends with Benefits and Maverick's Black Cat)

Check out Lena's Matthews books directly at her publisher's sites below. Buying direct is usually cheaper and is the best way to support your favorite authors.

Friday, July 22, 2011

The naughty Italian playboy from Beg For It is set to once again heat up the halls of The Mirage Agency.

Andre Lavin lives life in the fast lane and the pampered Italian playboy isn’t used to being denied. Anything. Which makes his attraction to the shy, hauntingly beautiful Cassandra Michaels even more frustrating. She’s unimpressed by his flashy lifestyle and his every attempt to get closer seems to drive her further away. Until he overhears her whispered wish for sex lessons.

Where Casey comes from, rich, handsome men don’t fall for girls like her but there’s nothing to stop her from enjoying a fling. All she needs is one night to find out what she’s been missing and then she can go back to her boring, predictable life. One night to touch and be touched and she can leave with her heart intact.

Or so she hopes. Because although Andre is more than ready to teach her anything she asks, what he isn’t willing to do is ever let her go.

CONTEST
Since I'm just thrilled that this book is out, I think I'll give away 2 things to a lucky commenter. I'll give away one copy of Beg for It AND one copy of Asking for Andre. Just because I want to :)

Friday, July 15, 2011

There are some characters you have to write about just because they're so much fun. I did a super-short prequel to The Madame X School of Sex series just because...

So here it is, Stolen (The Madame X School of Sex)

The first time I stole something was on a dare.

I was fifteen and reckless, determined to prove I could be a bad ass. My best friend Jody dared me to take a pack of gum from the Handy-Mart. In retrospect, I’m surprised my bumbling effort didn’t land me in jail. It was hardly a covert mission but I did it.

I did it, I loved it and I’ve been stealing ever since.

Usually it’s something small, just enough to give me the rush. Over the years, I’ve graduated up to pickpocketing which requires a bit more daring and a lot more finesse. I’ve never gotten caught and I suppose that’s part of the thrill.

Every time I take something I have to wonder if this is the day my luck will run out.

This is the story of the day I stole from the wrong man.

Reader Advisory: Story contains content some readers may find objectionable, including voyeurism, exhibitionism, anal play, sex with strangers and extended orgasms. If you have a problem with orgasms, do not purchase this book.

NOTE: This story is a super-short prequel to The Madame X School of Sex series but it's easy to read as a stand-alone too.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

For everyone who wrote to me about how much they loved Teasing Trent - thank you :) So many people asked about Mara's meddlesome brother Matt that I just had to write his story. It's still in the works but I see a spunky spitfire in his future who will give him a difficult time.

In the meantime, I've got cover hotness. So here it is - my favorite Army hottie - Matt Simmons

If THAT isn't incentive for me to keep writing, then I don't know what is...

Monday, July 11, 2011

If you're always on the prowl for good multicultural romance like I am, check out my friend Lauren Murphy's newest book, Curse of the Demon Queen.

SUMMARY

Fifty years ago, Lilith, Queen of the Demons, took the fall for something she wanted no part in and it cost her the only man she ever loved.

Betrayed and cursed, Aamon wants nothing but his freedom. Unable to let him go, Lilith watches him constantly, selfishly lusting for the love she destroyed. No matter how long he’s forced to serve, he’ll never forgive her.

The two end up on a treacherous ride of depravity and burning desire. Only absolute forgiveness will be able bring them back from this perilous journey.

Friday, July 8, 2011

Asking For Andre is FINALLY coming out! ***squeeeeee**** Did I mention it's coming out in 2 weeks?

The naughty Italian playboy from Beg For It is set to once again heat up the halls of The Mirage Agency.

Andre Lavin lives life in the fast lane and the pampered Italian playboy isn’t used to being denied. Anything. Which makes his attraction to the shy, hauntingly beautiful Cassandra Michaels even more frustrating. She’s unimpressed by his flashy lifestyle and his every attempt to get closer seems to drive her further away. Until he overhears her whispered wish for sex lessons.

Where Casey comes from, rich, handsome men don’t fall for girls like her but there’s nothing to stop her from enjoying a fling. All she needs is one night to find out what she’s been missing and then she can go back to her boring, predictable life. One night to touch and be touched and she can leave with her heart intact.

Or so she hopes. Because although Andre is more than ready to teach her anything she asks, what he isn’t willing to do is ever let her go.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Anyone who knows me is aware of my passion for free books. I troll the Kindle and Nook lists regularly and it finally occurred to me that others do the same thing.

So going forward, I'll be compiling my list of the week's best freebies on the pages in the sidebar. I've organized by genre but please be aware that some titles might cross genres. Also, as free offerings can change hourly, check the price before you click!

Click the "Free Books" tab in the menu bar to see what's available this week.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Last week I talked about the main ingredients involved in building a series, which are the characters. This week let's look at the actual recipe itself, which in our analogy is what the characters are doing and why they're doing it.

The conflict.

When I first started writing about The Madame X School of Sex, I wasn't sure what kind of conflict could arise at a sex school. Everyone there should be pretty happy, right?

Not exactly.

The essence of conflict boils down to isolating the character's weaknesses and then forcing them into situations they aren't ready for. Sounds sadistic but it's the only way they learn anything. It's also what keeps things interesting. Who wants to read about a bunch of perfect people who always do everything right? Not me, that's for sure.

So, we have our heroine Sarah Caldwell. Her weakness is insecurity due to how her fiance treated her. Her attraction to her boss, Quinn, is something she doesn't know how to handle. He's way out of her league and she doesn't feel sexy or desirable enough to go after him. That's the basis for her conflict. She wants something but doesn't know how to get it. Her weakness (insecurity) is holding her back.

Quinn's weakness is not facing up to something that happened in his past. He wants Sarah but thinks she belongs to someone else. Then he gets a call from his old friend Madame X that changes everything.

Sarah is going to The Madame X School, the place he vowed he'd never return to.

Our hero's conflict stems from two things he wants being at odds. His desire for Sarah vs. His antipathy for The Madame X School (for reasons to be revealed later).

So, now that we understand the conflict - here's a sneak peek at things from Quinn's POV

EXCERPT FROM SEDUCING SARAH

Quinn Sanders hated to rush. He'd built his law career on attention to detail and a slow, methodical approach to research. Yet here he was throwing clothes into a suitcase as if his house was on fire. One phone call from an old friend and he'd abandoned his business and his social life. One phone call had spun his entire world on a different axis.

Sarah Caldwell was going to see Madame X.

The phone clipped to his belt vibrated. He yanked it from its holster and held it to his ear. His room looked like a mini-tornado had ripped through it but he didn't even care. He'd been lucky to book a flight at such a late date and if he didn't hurry, he'd miss the plane. He'd have to drive like a bat out of hell to get to the airport on time as it was.

"Yes?"

"I assume you've already booked your flight?" Madame X had a way of getting right to the heart of a matter. How she did this without ever being rude was something Quinn had yet to figure out.

"I had to pay an astronomical fare but I got a flight. I'll be there in the early morning. Thank you for giving me the heads up. This should be an interesting three weeks."

She made a non-committal sound on the other end of the line. Quinn braced himself for whatever it was she would say next. He'd known her long enough to know that the soft sound usually preceded bad news.

"I'm glad I was able to help you out but I must caution you. Ms. Caldwell is a guest of the Madame X School. If she doesn’t wish to work with you for any reason, then you must respect that. I've already stretched the limits of confidentiality. My first obligation has to be to my clients. Even if you are one of my oldest friends."

Quinn nodded even though she couldn't see him. "I would never do anything to make her uncomfortable. I promise you I'll leave if she doesn't want to work with me. Besides, I used to be your employee. Let's just call this a consulting gig."

Sarah would have the option to decline him as her handler but he doubted she would. Plenty of the instructors and a few of the students at the Madame X Academy wore masks so she wouldn't recognize him. He was glad now that he wasn't prone to long conversation in general. It would make it harder for her to recognize his voice. Even if something about him seemed familiar, he doubted she'd make the connection or question him.

No one questioned Master Q.

"I'm sure Ms. Caldwell will get along with my alter ego just fine. You have no cause for worry."

Silence hummed over the line for a long moment before she spoke again. "You've been out of the game for a while, Master Q. I know you had your reasons for that and I won't pry. I just hope you know what you're doing and are doing it for the right reasons."

Quinn couldn't stop the grin taking over his face. "I know what I'm doing. Sarah Caldwell will get exactly what she needs over the next three weeks."

Madame X chuckled. "I'm sure she will. Hopefully, you will too."

Quinn Sanders hated to rush. He'd built his law career on attention to detail and a slow, methodical approach to research. Yet here he was throwing clothes into a suitcase as if his house was on fire. One phone call from an old friend and he'd abandoned his business and his social life. One phone call had spun his entire world on a different axis.

Sarah Caldwell was going to see Madame X.

The phone clipped to his belt vibrated. He yanked it from its holster and held it to his ear. His room looked like a mini-tornado had ripped through it but he didn't even care. He'd been lucky to book a flight at such a late date and if he didn't hurry, he'd miss the plane. He'd have to drive like a bat out of hell to get to the airport on time as it was.

"Yes?"

"I assume you've already booked your flight?" Madame X had a way of getting right to the heart of a matter. How she did this without ever being rude was something Quinn had yet to figure out.

"I had to pay an astronomical fare but I got a flight. I'll be there in the early morning. Thank you for giving me the heads up. This should be an interesting three weeks."

She made a non-committal sound on the other end of the line. Quinn braced himself for whatever it was she would say next. He'd known her long enough to know that the soft sound usually preceded bad news.

"I'm glad I was able to help you out but I must caution you. Ms. Caldwell is a guest of the Madame X School. If she doesn’t wish to work with you for any reason, then you must respect that. I've already stretched the limits of confidentiality. My first obligation has to be to my clients. Even if you are one of my oldest friends."

Quinn nodded even though she couldn't see him. "I would never do anything to make her uncomfortable. I promise you I'll leave if she doesn't want to work with me. Besides, I used to be your employee. Let's just call this a consulting gig."

Sarah would have the option to decline him as her handler but he doubted she would. Plenty of the instructors and a few of the students at the Madame X Academy wore masks so she wouldn't recognize him. He was glad now that he wasn't prone to long conversation in general. It would make it harder for her to recognize his voice. Even if something about him seemed familiar, he doubted she'd make the connection or question him.

No one questioned Master Q.

"I'm sure Ms. Caldwell will get along with my alter ego just fine. You have no cause for worry."

Silence hummed over the line for a long moment before she spoke again. "You've been out of the game for a while, Master Q. I know you had your reasons for that and I won't pry. I just hope you know what you're doing and are doing it for the right reasons."

Quinn couldn't stop the grin taking over his face. "I know what I'm doing. Sarah Caldwell will get exactly what she needs over the next three weeks."

Madame X chuckled. "I'm sure she will. Hopefully, you will too."

The Final Product

So, we've looked at the Ingredients and the Recipe for Conflict. The only thing left is the final product.

So without further ado, here's the cover art for Seducing Sarah V.1 (The Madame X School of Sex series). The cover was done by The Naughty Girls' own Minx Malone.

Sunday, May 22, 2011

In a surprising move, Amazon has taken the final step toward establishing a New York presence. They hired literary agent and former Time-Warner CEO, Larry Kirshbaum to head their publishing house, effective July 5, 2011.

For many, Amazon has been a symbol of the "anti-publisher", the independent publishing movemement's mascot in a way. It will be interesting to see if Amazon starts to cut back on options for independent publishers and tries to refer them to one of their own imprints. Amazon already has genre-specific imprints for romance (Montlake) and mystery/thriller (Thomas & Mercer). No one was threatened by the original imprints Amazon Encore and AmazonCrossing.

With RITA winner Connie Brockway as the debut athor for their Montlake imprint, it seems as if Amazon is taking over the world.

Let's just hope it's a world that indie publishers are still welcome to play in too.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

When I first came up with the idea for my erotic series The Madame X School of Sex, all I had was just that: an idea. I had no idea who the characters would be, the setting or even what would happen (besides the obvious). So how does a writer go about figuring this stuff out?

Daydreaming. That's how I figured it out anyway.

First, the characters. Who is just as important as What, in a story. The characters are the ones who take us on the journey. We experience the world through their eyes, their fears, their strengths and their limitations. Plus, if I'm going to write a story about something, I had better like the person the story is about. After all, we'll be spending a lot of time together.

The Heroine: Sarah Caldwell

I decided to pick a young professional woman with some self-esteem issues. Why? Because I can relate to that and I figure a lot of others can too. Sarah is a paralegal who's always done everything she's supposed to. She goes to work every morning at 8:30 am, she always separates the whites from the colors and she pays her taxes each year by April 15th.

She's perfectly ordinary. She's also perfectly tired of her boring life and she just knows there has to be more out there.

This brings us to the What? portion of the planning stage. What can happen to our perfectly lovely, perfectly boring heroine? Well, I decided to make her do something completely crazy. Something completely out of character.

She signs herself up for the infamous sex academy : The Madame X School of Sex.

Once I figured out what naughty business our heroine could get herself into, I was able to start writing. I wrote a few scenes in Sarah's point of view to get a feel for the way she thinks.

EXCERPT FROM WORK in PROGRESS

Sarah let the artificial smile she’d been wearing for the past hour drop. Her face was stiff from holding a smile she didn’t feel, forcing laughter that wasn’t genuine. But she couldn’t let her friend see how dejected she really was. It would just invite more worry, more hovering.

And it wouldn’t sway her from her path.

She reached into her purse and pulled out the envelope that held her plane ticket. Not that she needed to see it again, she’d studied it a hundred times since that morning. A plane ticket to Nevada. One chance to find out if she was really broken or not.

The Madame X School of Sex? It’s an urban legend. Doesn’t exist.

Sarah shook her head. “Oh, it exists. In a few hours I’ll have firsthand proof.”

The Hero: Quinn Sanders

I wanted a hero that provided exactly what Sarah needed, which is contrast. He's the commanding, inventive type that can balance out her fear of change. He'll introduce her to hedonism and teach her not to be ashamed of her feelings. Quinn also just so happens to be her boss.

The conflict

Being the good girl that she is, Sarah wouldn't get involved with her boss. Luckily for her, Quinn used to be an instructor at The Madame X School. So some pretty interesting things are bound to happen when he gets a phone call from his old friend Madame X.

NEXT WEEK: I'll take a look at CONFLICT in depth. This is the meaty part where we figure out why our characters are being so difficult.

Monday, May 16, 2011

Hi everyone, I'm Jinx Jamison and I’m so excited to be doing my first post for The Naughty Girls! It took me ages to come up with a topic to write about but I finally decided. Writing and baking are two of my favorite things so I decided to combine them.

Welcome to The Recipe for Naughty, a series of posts about the creation of my new erotic series. Every Wednesday I’ll post where I am in my story along with a sneak peek at my work in progress, no matter how bad (or good!) it may be.

Now, I’m no celebrity chef, or writer in this instance but I think that can work to my advantage. I’m going to document what it’s like for a newbie writer to come up with a romance series from start to finish, planning stage to execution. Then I’ll put the final version up on Kindle and Nook and let the readers be the judge.

I hope you all will follow along as I conduct my experiment. And be gentle…

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Romancelandia is coming together to help a long time romance reader named Fatin. She lost her husband to a violent act but we can help. Take a moment to look at all the cool stuff being offered over at Operation Auction.

***psst there are editor critiques and lunches with some pretty cool people up on the auction block***

I really want to bid on pretty much everything there. So go forth! Bid and be generous. It's all for a very good cause.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

It hurt me, it consumed me, it TEASED me relentlessly. But my erotic short story, Teasing Trent, is AVAILABLE for Kindle and Nook!!

Just to tease you a little, here's the cover and blurb.

When his best friend Matt was deployed overseas, the only thing he asked was for Trent to keep an eye on his twin sister. Keeping her company on her birthday should be business as usual. He just has to remember the promise he made to himself in college to keep his hands off her.

Which is getting harder and harder by the day.

Ever since Mara walked into her brother's dorm room freshman year and came face to face with a shirtless Trent, she's known he was The One. He’s been right there with her twin brother as her biggest supporter or shoulder to cry on, whichever she needs most. The problem?

Trent has no idea how she feels.

Well, it's her first birthday without her twin and Trent's coming over to keep her company. It's the perfect time to tease him a little. A skimpy yoga outfit and a few glasses of wine later, she plans to finally have Trent exactly where she wants him.

In her bed, for as long as she can keep him there.

If Mara has her way, she'll get a whole lot more for her birthday than a Hallmark card.

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Every year I spend New Year's Day thinking up goals for the coming year. This year, I've decided to look back at 2010. One of my 2010 goals was to read at least a book a month outside my normal genres of romance/erotic romance. I'm happy to see that I far exceeded my goal.

Minx's 2010 Book List

1 The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

2 Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austen

3 Anthem by Ayn Rand

4 The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers

5 A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick

6 The Dead Travel Fast by Deanna Raybourn

7 The House at Riverton by Kate Morton

8 Emma by Jane Austen

9 A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

10 Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen

11 The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen

12 A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

13 Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr
14 Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr

15 The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong

16 All's Well That Ends Well by Shakespeare

17 Hamlet by Shakespeare

18 Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

19 The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

20 The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Now that I've had such a great reading year in 2010, I have decided to up the ante in 2011. I am going to try to write something outside of my normal genre. Sooooo, here's to a creative and different 2011.